I have been an iPhone and Android user for years, since the first iPhone and the HTC Dream. One thing that has always infuriated me about iOS is the lack of customization. Now, after years of complaining, rumor is that iOS 18 may actually bring a small level of customization to the iPhone.
This is just a rumor, according to MacRumors (first reported by Bloomberg), but it’s at least the first solid rumor about home screen customization on iPhone, ever. Still, from the sound of it, iOS 18 isn’t going to bring you Android levels of home screen customization. Android allows for a healthy amount of customization, including swapping out launchers.
iOS 18
I highly doubt iOS 18 is going to come anywhere near that capability, at least to start with. According to Bloomberg, you will be able to arrange home screen icons more freely on iOS 18 and create blank spaces and rows. The springboard, which is what we called the iOS launcher way back in the day, will still be locked to a certain grid size, though.
There was no mention of custom icons or icon packs. While you can use the Apple Shortcuts app to create new icons, it is probably the worst work around ever devised for people who want to use custom icons. It’s basically a pain in the butt. There are ways, currently, to customize some aspects of your home screen, but you need third-party widget apps that can be time-consuming to set up properly.
I’m in no way celebrating that we might be getting the ability to move icons around more freely in iOS18. It is a step forward but it’s also a lazy step forward. Apple has had years upon years to implement such features, but simply chooses not to because they feel they know what’s best for its customers.
Wrap Up
We shall see what happens in June when the new iOS is released and announced. Along with this, not so exciting, Apple is expected to bring new AI features into the operating system as well. But I can’t get over the fact that it has taken this long for even the free moving of icons to happen on the iPhone. I am most-likely in the minority and I am certain that many users aren’t concerned about home screen customization. But maybe it’s because they’ve never experienced it? Think different Apple.
